


Abandoned in the Name of Love

by invisible_aliens



Series: Carry On Countdown 2018 [3]
Category: Carry On Series - Rainbow Rowell
Genre: Established Relationship, F/M, M/M, Post-Canon, Some angst, but there's a happy ending
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-27
Updated: 2018-11-27
Packaged: 2019-09-01 07:44:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,252
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16760929
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/invisible_aliens/pseuds/invisible_aliens
Summary: Penelope's moving to America to be with Micah. Simon's not sure he can cope.Post Carry On.Written for the Carry On Countdown 2018, Day 3: Abroad





	Abandoned in the Name of Love

**Author's Note:**

> Probably not what people had in mind for this prompt, but nevermind. There are scenes 'abroad'.

**SIMON**

No one talks much on the way to the airport. Baz just drives, and Penny keeps opening her backpack to see if she's forgotten something. It's mostly pointless, because most of her belongings are in her suitcase in the boot, but she's nervous and it gives her something to do.

I just stare out the window, my emotions flicking between feeling happy for Penny and being absolutely devastated.

I've spent all the best bits of my life with Penny. She's always been there. And now are going away to live with Micah and who knows when I'll next see her. Fucking months, at least. It's hard not to resent Micah, even though he's actually a really nice guy. I might like him a bit more if he bothered to visit England more often. (He's really scared of the Magickal atmosphere holes.)

I've tried not to let it show, but I think she knows. She keeps asking me how I'm going.

“You alright, Simon?” she'll ask.

“Yeah I'm good,” I'll say, nodding.

I know Baz is going to miss her as well. The two of them are a lot closer than they like to admit.

It feels like the world is slowly sliding out of control. Who will re-spell my wings in the middle of the day, when Baz isn’t around? Indulge in my apparently terrible music tastes? (Baz says we're both heathens. Penny says he's just snobbish.)

The airport's full of people, coming and going. Who are they are? How many are leaving people behind?

And even though we arrived hours early, it seems like no time at all before I'm giving her one last hug and she's whispering goodbye in my ear.

“I'll see you soon,” she whispers. I try to believe it.

But ‘soon’ has many meanings.

Baz grabs my hand and gives it a squeeze as we watch Penny walk away.

“She's not going to forget you,” he says. “You know she's better than that.”

She is. But love can do strange things to people.

**PENELOPE**

I'm sitting between a businessman with an inescapable frown and a young woman who jammed her earphones in as soon as she sat down. (Which would be fine, except she has the volume up way too loud.)

The businessman scowls at her, but she doesn't notice.

I decide to ignore both of them, and get some sleep. When that doesn't work, I watch a movie. (Or three…) which gets me through the flight.

Micah has a huge grin on his face when I arrive at the airport. He gives me a kiss and a hug and we cling to each other for a few minutes. It's been so long since I last saw him. We've been skyping most days but it just isn't the same.

I text Simon to let him know I've arrived, and he texts back almost instantly. _Hope you're not too tired_ , he says.

Micah and I chat excitedly all the way back to his apartment, which is a bit of a drive. One of our favourite topics is comparing Magickal education between our countries. All the American mages are taught their magic at home, and it means that the variation between individual mages is greater than in England.

He's also more into sport than me, but I've picked up enough from Simon and Agatha to appreciate what he's saying. (Except when he starts talking about American Football).

I'm tired, but I don't feel ready to sleep just yet.

“It's going to be great, having you here. Have you thought about if you're going to apply for one of the nearby universities? I'm sure they'd let you in.”

I'd avoided thinking about this. If always imagined going to uni in the UK with Simon.

I crash almost as soon as we reach his apartment, jet-lagged and sleep-deprived, but we spent the next day (and the next few weeks!) looking at the all the sights around the city. It's weird, being in the US, and I can tell I don't quite fit in.

It's sort of exciting, but at the same time I miss Simon. (And Baz, to be honest. And my family.) For the first time in my life, I feel sort of… Lonely. I'm so used to being surrounded by more people than I want, it's a really unusual feeling.

Micah has less friends than me, and it's starting to get a bit weird with just the two of us all the time. We don't fight, exactly, just a bit tense.

I have to do something.

We're sitting on the couch snuggling, watching some insipid movie that Micah is obsessed with. (He never stops quoting it.)

“I love you,” I say.

“I love you too,” he says.

“But I also love all the people I left back in England. And I miss them.” I hesitate.” How would you feel about moving to England with me?”

He bites his lip thoughtfully.

“No hurry,” I say. “It's just… One of the reasons we agreed I'd move in with you instead of the other way around is because you didn't want to live in an area where holes in the Magickal atmosphere keep appearing at random. And I know they haven't proved that they're definitely going away, but I know they are. The Humdrum's gone. I saw Simon… Defeat him.” (‘Defeat’ probably isn't the right word.)

“I'll think about it,” he says.

**SIMON**

It's been four weeks without Penny, and I miss her more than I ever thought I would. I miss her in the kitchen, and waiting for her to get home, and hearing her talk excitedly about whatever she's been looking into last.

The flat feels lonely without her. Baz has basically moved in, but he's still got his own flat as well. We've been looking for somewhere to move into together, but haven't found anything that's the right size yet.

I'm sitting at the kitchen table, a cup of tea in front of me. Baz is putting away the clean dishes.

He looks at me and sighs. “Maybe you need to try and make some more friends, now that Penny's not around.”

“I don't want to replace Penny!”

“It wouldn't be replacing her. Just, someone new. To sort of more, add to Penny.”

I scowl, and at that moment my phone rings.

Penny.

I try to swallow my bitterness away and answer it.

“Hey.”

“Hi, Simon! I've got some good news for you.” She sounds suspiciously chirpy.

“What?” I respond stupidly. What good is there now that Penny's left? That she's gone?

“Micah and I are moving to England!”

I feel my mood rise from the depths of despair to match Penny's cheerfulness.

“You're coming back?” I'm too scared to believe it.

“Yeah!”

Baz sees the huge grin on my face, and looks puzzled.

“Penny's coming back!” I say again. But this time, I believe it.

**PENELOPE**

The best deal we could find for a flat in England was to team up with Baz and Simon and have all four of us live together. Which has its pros and cons. I have to put up with Simon and Micah fighting for the shower in the morning, but I also don't have to cook as often.

And, of course, I get to be around everyone.

I sit in the living room with Simon.

“Thank you for coming back,” he says. “I missed you. A lot.”

I pull him into a hug.

“I missed you too.”

I am finally home.


End file.
